That Curse Needed a New Name
by Didicit Viator
Summary: Harry is sent back by his mother's malfunctioning time turner on the night of October 1981, and we follow him as he builds his life in a world where a Dark Lord is rising. However, in this story, Harry's childhood gives him a considerable advantage in the form of Bellatrix Black. A story attempting to be different in style, story and characters.
1. Halloween Time!

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**

A chilly wind swept through the darkening road of Godric's Hollow. Autumn's fallen leaves swirled in an invisible whirlpool, emulating a whisper of sound into the otherwise empty night. Observing the calm and unassuming neighbourhood was a towering figure cloaked in darkness. If one looked close enough, they would observe small tendrils of what looked to be liquid shadow, dancing over a taunt and pale complexion. However, no one got that close and lived, for the being in question was the self-proclaimed Dark Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort was the epitome of evil and cruelty within the wizarding world. No one had stood up to this man and lived, but for a select few.

As he continued his determined pace down the street, his pale red gaze swept swiftly across the scene, then the Dark Lord paused, before smirking in satisfaction and striding swiftly down the lane; his robes swirling rhythmically beneath his silent, stalking steps. The object of his desire was the small cottage that sat at the end of the lane, invisible to everyone except him. It was obviously home to a family with children, if the small collection of toys on the grass was anything to go by. As he observed this, the Dark Lord's eyes gleamed with an assumed victory. The boy was here.

The proud wooden door, still shining with the gloss of new red paint was the only obstacle between the Dark Lord and his now panicking quarry. A flick of the yew wand he now bore in his long fingered hand destroyed this weak barrier and he strode into the hall. A slender figure bearing bouncing red hair disappeared up the stairs and a raven haired, bespectacled man skidded into the hall, standing strong. The Dark Lord sent a green pulse of light out of his wand, which was swiftly intercepted by a hastily conjured brick wall. He sniffed in annoyance, and brought both hands up and with a pushing motion, released a great wave of energy that threw each individual brick back towards James Potter. He heard a yelp, and then saw a thin shield form, but without hesitation threw another green pulse of energy.

The cloaked figure then stepped confidently into the hall, a smirk threatening to break across his face as he stepped over the fallen body and began to climb upstairs. He could feel someone trying to apparate and portkey against his wards, but it was in vain. He finally reached the upstairs landing and found himself before a closed door, which glimmered dimly with strong wards of protection. He almost laughed at her audacity, but refrained before blasting it, in a similar fashion to his first timber buffer.

Lily Potter finished setting up the ritual with a drop of her blood on her son's forehead. It would anchor her soul to Harry in the event of her imminent death, and assuming that You-Know-Who used the AK on Harry, would be sent off to death instead of him. All that was needed was the final phrase…

The Dark Lord entered the room to see the red haired witch that Severus requested standing over the boy. "Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" _"Stand aside you silly girl … stand aside now."_

_"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead - "_

_"Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy… "_

He did not have time for this. "Avada Kedavra!"

Had he not been watching the boy obsessively, he would have seen her eyes glass over a split second before the curse hit her. The now soul coated baby started to cry as his mother fell to the ground. He did not like this game. The red-eyed stranger turned the magic stick to him and cackled a cold, high pitched laugh and whispered with glee "Avada Kedavra."

In the following seconds, soul magic in concentrations never seen swept in that small room in Godric's Hollow, causing the strong walls to crack with strain. The sickly green light struck a small necklace on the chest of the small boy, entering it with a swirl of energy. A silence followed in which the Dark Lord watched with shock and confusion. The resulting explosion rocked the surrounding area with intensity only before matched by nature as the soul protection released the energy it absorbed. The Dark Lord found himself suffocating in a searing heat as he tried in vain to scream. The boy however remained, with a small light beginning to grow in intensity from the struck necklace that had been disillusioned on his chest. In a high-pitched scream of energy the small, raven-haired boy was whisked away into the highest energy portal ever to breach the dimensions of time and space. It kept going past the usual limits of 70 hours and ripped itself from the mystical grip that kept the body of present and future combined. And so the boy tumbled and tumbled back in time, landing with a soft pop floor of the same room he had left, but for one fact. The date was no longer 1981.

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	2. Baby Shower

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I wouldn't be writing on FANfiction if I was delusional enough to believe I was a middle-aged, Scottish author. I do not own Harry Potter or any related rights. They belong to her majesty, J.K. Rowling.**

**Godric's Hollow 1951**

Magic, it seemed to Charlus Potter, was a strange thing. A few hours ago, he and his wife Dorea Potter nee Black had been discussing the possibility of children. This event is usual for most couples, but one event that followed is most definitely not!  
>As he gazed down at the sniffling child before him, he wondered if he had inhaled anything at the potions lab earlier, or maybe if he had been hit by one cheering charm too many. He contemplated this timely appearance of the young lad and waved his wand a couple of times to detect glamours or such. It seemed not. Finally comprehending the oddness of such an event he screamed, "DOREA!"<p>

A dull thud, followed by a sigh gave way to a beautiful, black haired woman that entered from the hallway.  
>"You made me drop my…" she began. 'Thud!' went the officially abused apple.<br>"Charlus" she began, narrowing her eyes. "When I said I wanted a child I-"

"No no no!" he stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "The boy just appeared!"

She narrowed her eyes in confusion but slowly approached the wide-eyed boy that gazed at her with piercing green eyes.  
>"Oh darling!" She cooed, gently wiping away small bits of debris from the explosion, "Where did you come from?" she muttered to the room.<br>The small boy blinked slowly and responded slowly with a crease in his small brow "Ma?"  
>Dorea couldn't help the tears that sprang to her eyes as she gently picked him up and said "No darling, sorry, do you know where she is? Your mamma?"<br>The boy had a far away look in his eyes that did not belong to one so young. He continued to stare crossly; as if it was her fault he was confused.  
>Dorea turned to her husband with equal confusion written on her face. "What is going on?"<p>

**Godric's Hollow 1981**

A similar phrase was uttered through a magnificently maintained beard 30 years in the future. Albus Dumbledore looked upon the scene with horror. The chosen one was gone. He lifted the bottom of his crescent moon robes, stepping gently over the body of the deceased Lily Potter and looked at the empty cot that should have held Harry Potter. He swirled his wand in a complex movement, trying to reveal what energies lingered. He staggered back, wincing as his heel clipped the dead body of Lily, but this could not be? Surely? Albus Dumbledore recognised the signature of time turner use and very powerful necromancy. The later was to be expected with the involvement of Tom Riddle, but time magic? He sighed wearily and disappeared with a pop.  
>He appeared in his office at Hogwarts, rushing quickly over to his bookshelf to grab a book. He opened the crumbling volume, turning the pages with increasing vigour before finally slamming the book on his desk, the page open at his find. Fawkes squawked indignantly at the sound before flying over to perch on his master's shoulder. Upon reading the words on the chosen page, Dumbledore seemed to shrink and wither, making him look 20 years older. He began to stroke the softly trilling Fawkes and muttered "He has gone to the past my friend, where not even I can help him." Upon saying that, the headmaster suddenly straitened and a twinkle entered his eye.<p>

The headmaster rushed over to his fireplace, throwing in the powder and shouting "Ministry of Magic!"

He emerged to the empty atrium, not allowing the grandeur of the golden statue to distract him he strode over to a lift and entered. He emerged at level 2, Department of Mysteries. A quick disillusionment charm later and he was sneaking through the door at the end of the corridor. His one hundred and twenty years or so years had not been wasted and so he easily navigated the mysterious layout, leading him to the department of time. He stood at the entrance, carefully observing the layers of stacked time turners and the gleaming black marble floor. He sighed in relief and quickly grabbed a time turner.

Once he reached his office he got straight to work with his quill and parchment, before standing up straight, disillusioning himself and fading away with the twist of the turner.

**The Headmaster's Office 1951**

Albus Dumbledore watched in astonishment as a piece of parchment floated down onto his desk, accompanied by the dull thud of a gleaming time turner. Little did he know, that exact expression would be on his face ten thousand, nine-hundred and seventy-seven times in the future. In fact every 24 hours he saw that piece of parchment fluttered down, telling the headmaster to travel 24 hours back in time to deliver a message and a time turner. This headmaster was in fact the final recipient of the message. He opened it with trepidation and read it. With each line his bushy eyebrow rose further until it was threatening to become one with his white locks.  
>In order to prevent any accidents with time, the headmaster of '81 kept the information to a minimum.<p>

_My Past Self,_

_Contact Dorea and Charlus about young boy, name of Harry Potter_

_He is from the future_

_Prophecy as follows_

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..._

_He must be watched_

_Do what I do best._

As Albus Dumbledore read this note, he could claim another title to his long list of achievements. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore knew that one cannot know something in the past that they did not know in the future, so the reprucussions of this knowledge to the future meant that effectively, the future had never happened. No more help was coming. He sat back in his chair, before a slow smile spread across his face. Life was about to get interesting.

**So my idea was that Albus isolated his own present and future from the past so that what happened in his own future wouldn't happen in the past… I hate time turners, but I would rather not delve into the whole evil Legilimens thing, and Dumbles has to know about it for the plot to work. SORRY!**

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	3. Fall Out

**Chapter Three**

****Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!****

**Gringotts 1951**

A very important Goblin sat in a very large chair, carefully weighing the same pile of gleaming gems that had been displayed on his desk since gaining post as Director of Gringotts. He sighed in frustration. Ever since the fall of Grindelwald just over six years ago, the Goblins had been treated with suspicion and disgust. Their support of his movement was not public, but it was still common knowledge, as are many 'secrets' in such a close-knit society. The source of his exasperation was the weights of these here gems, for you see, they were no ordinary diamonds and sapphires! No, in fact they were the medium for an impressive enchantment set up over two thousand years ago by Gringotts founding director that allowed, through weight, the share capital to be measured. The number he was reading was troublesome to say the least, as the Goblin nation had invested large sums in Grindelwald's campaign in the hope that his equality agenda would benefit them.  
>He was drawn from his musings by a fast knocking on the silver adorned double doorway directly opposite his elevated oak desk.<br>"_Enter_" He rasped out in Koboldan, the tongue of the Goblin nation.

A duo of noticeably old Goblins almost tumbled onto the cold marble floor of the office in their haste to get through. Ragnuk the first sat up slightly; his interest piqued.

_"Director!" _One of the Goblins cried out, _"There is a serious problem with the Black and Potter Estates!"_

If possible, the Director's spine straightened even further at this news. Those two families were among their most lucrative of investments and it would not do to allow any mishaps.

_"Well?"_

_"We have found conflicting magical identifications of heirs."_

Ragnuk's tough grey skin paled slightly at the news. This had some serious political and financial ramifications if true.

_"Are you certain?" _He asked, half jokingly.

He received a look of exasperation from the panting Goblin. He waved a long nailed hand in the direction of the visitors, indicating them welcome to sit with him.  
><em>"Right" <em>He sighed, _"What do you think happened…"_

**An Attic in Yorkshire**

Miranda Trelawney, granddaughter of the famous Cassandra collapsed into the armchair in the shadowed corner of her attic. Her pale blue eyes, hidden under a cascading veil of dirty blonde hair, suddenly clouded over as her breath hitched slightly in her throat. The ambient magic of the incoming prophecy raised an alarm deep within the folds of the Department of Mysteries. It sent many a cloaked figure rushing around and in no time a figure appeared with a slight pop in the middle of the attic floor. They quickly pressed a device and found themselves a seat.  
>In a rasping voice that sent shivers down the Unspeakable's spine she spoke,<p>

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…"  
>"Blood of lion…of hallow…of hound... He has power the Dark Lord knows not…"<em>

_"The Dark Lord will lose to him his right hand before it forms…"_

_"Neither will be of their own before the last piece burns…"_

_"He comes from the side, through impregnable veil… Followed by the creators note…"_

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…"_

In a pop, the figure was gone, leaving a coughing old woman, reaching for her tea.

**Diagon Alley**

In a blinding flash of airborne flame, Fawkes appeared in front of an icy-eyed shopkeeper, illuminating the otherwise sparsely lit room that despite the magical inhabitant, managed to attain a layer of dust upon every surface. He appeared for only a moment, and in his wake left a brilliantly gold feather, mixed with stripes of deep red and lines of white. The feather floated gently down onto a rather old desk. A small smile spread across the aged features of the blue-eyed man, for he did love a good excuse to make another wand. He looked upon the feather with a calculating twinkle. This would be an important tool. Yes, very important.

He rose quickly; gathering oddly assorted items and materials and hurried out of the room with a satisfied grin threatening to split his face.

**Hogwarts**

As Albus Dumbledore watched that all-important note burn away, he jumped as a small bang rocked his rather solid desk. He gently pulled on an iron wrought handle to reveal the small book that took note of all Magical children within the British Isles. He patted it gently as it smoked and allowed it to cool before opening. As he cracked open the ancient parchment he noticed something very odd. It seemed that young Mr 'Harry Potter' had burned through the page that indicated the school year 1961 and had instead printed in gold in the following year. He speculated the mechanism behind it, for it seemed that although the Potter boy was born before September 1950, no 1980, he shook his head in amusement; he would be registered and accepted as if born afterwards. Hogwarts sometimes seemed to be much more sentient than an organised pile of stone. What was it playing at?

**4 Privet Drive 1981**

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. This is how it stayed, much to their oblivious satisfaction.

**Godric's Hollow**

Harry yawned gently, his small eyelids fluttering feebly in the attempt to fight off sleep. He'd had a very busy day destroying Dark Lords, ripping through space-time, visiting a hospital and having a bubble bath. His new guardians had completed the necessary rituals and paperwork to adopt him after being contacted by a strangely well-timed Dumbledore, informing them of the limited information he knew. A binding oath and a secret later, they were rushing to find a quill that would secure them the unlucky flesh and blood that had fell into their lives; quite literally!

Wrapped up in his soft blanket, Harry could not comprehend the significance and impact of this rather tiring Halloween, but that did not matter because for now, as he drifted off to the soft melody of his new mother's voice, he could enjoy the love and happiness that would have been absent from his life without a certain well placed time turner.

**Thanks for all the support! **


	4. Troubles

**Chapter 4**

****Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!****

About one hundred and fifty miles to the east of Godric's Hollow, outside a private ward of St. Mungo's Hospital, Cygnus Black paced the glossy stone floors beside the firmly closed door that contained his wife and unborn child. He muttered incoherently under his breath, occasionally glancing up to the frosted glass window in the door, watching the shadowy figures that occasionally rushed past on the other side. His wife was important to him, yes, very important. His brother Orion and his wife Walburga had been having problems producing an heir, and so if he and his wife could produce a male heir, they could inherit the black family fortune after Orion's death. He looked up sharply as he heard the muffled shouts of his wife grow in intensity before fading entirely. A moment later the door was slowly opened and a petite, brown haired woman opened the door. As Cygnus black strolled into the room he glanced down to his left, admiring her figure, much to the veiled disgust of his bedridden and exhausted wife.  
>Druella Black cradled her young daughter; trying to ignore her husbands foul behaviour. As he approached the young child, she flinched at his expression. It was one of pure disappointment and disgust.<br>"Name her Bellatrix Cassiopeia." He spoke sharply, before walking away with a swirl of his black cloak.

Druella sighed, before succumbing to sleep. The older of the mediwitches gently stroked her sweaty hair, murmuring her sympathy, but she did not want it. She had failed.

**Almost five years later**

Harry Potter ran as fast as his small legs could carry him. He panted slightly, brushing his dark hair away from his eyes. As he rounded the corner he was tackled to the ground by a large object.

He laughed and squealed as his dad began to tickle him at his sides. Harry tried to get out from underneath Charlus, but it was in vain.  
>"Stop!" He choked out from his gasps and giggles, but he would not. Harry really wanted him to stop.<p>

Suddenly there was a poof of blue smoke as Charlus was thrown back from Harry and slid down the hall. Harry got his breath back and rushed over to his dad, concern written all over his face. As soon as he got there he coved his mouth, trying to stifle even more giggles at the sight before him. He looked up to see his mother enter from the drawing room with her hands on her hips, a stern expression on her face.

"Charlus Potter, you will stop behaving like a small child before you injure yourself! You have a meeting at the Ministry later and you will not embarrass yourself again!" Charlus looked up from the floor, uncovering his head, extracting a gasp from his wife.  
>"What?" he asked crossly.<p>

She just shook her head and went back to reading, muttering something that sounded like 'Serves you right'.  
>Harry kept a straight face at his father's new blue hair; innocent green eyes watching as his dad play scowled at him.<br>"I'll get you later boy!" he promised ominously, and with a wink and a pop he disapparated from the house into the atrium of the Ministry of Magic.  
>Harry giggled again and ran off to the drawing room where he snuggled down next to his mother and closed his eyes, quickly falling to sleep.<p>

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Cygnus Black entered the ministry in a bad mood. The people floating around him seemed to realise that, as soon a path was made for the scowling wizard as he made his way down to the Wizengamot on level two. Today's agenda was a new law that if pushed through, would limit the ability of muggleborns to own a business in Diagon Alley. It was one of many similar suggestions that had been progressively increasing in number since 1945, as many of the old families were afraid of loosing their grip on the government if the muggleborns got too much power. Cygnus had recently been in contact with a newly appeared Lord that had shown interest in him and his family. The man had told him to approach his brother and try to convince him that the purebloods were in danger of being tainted by muggleborns ideas and dirty blood. Cygnus could not help but comply. The Lord had claimed to be of Slytherin's descent and exuded a power that had both attracted Cygnus and made him fearful. Today he was to vote in favour and slip a few bags of galleons to some of the neutral families that would have voted otherwise. He quickly took his seat; his face a mask of confidence and cold disinterest as other members of the Wizengamot drifted past. Soon everyone was seated and silent, except a softly cursing Charlus Potter trying unsuccessfully to change his hair back from a startling blue. Cygnus sneered at the sight. He hated people like Potter, not only did he have a son, which made Cygnus violently bitter; he was a muggleborns supporter. People like him would not survive long.

The Wizengamot session began with a thump of a mallet on a table from Dumbledore, and the proposition began.  
>As Cygnus absently listened to the legislation, he watched Dumbledore critically with his cold violet eyes. This man had defeated the Dark Lord Grindelwald about ten years ago, and yet he had hardly used his political power for anything. Granted, being head of the Wizengamot and rumoured next Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, but he could have been Minister for Magic if he wanted! Shaking his head at the old muggle-loving fool, he raised his hand in vote for the movement.<p>

Cygnus strode through the large doors that gave way to the ministry atrium, and collided with a blue haired wizard; staggering back slightly. When he saw the face of Charlus Potter his sneer intensified and he spat out "Can't control your spawn Potter or is your hair normally so shocking?"

Charlus, of slightly less height, was still recovering when verbally confronted and so missed the tell tale signs of his mocking tone and so replied with a chuckle, "Yes he is a tricky little thing, but I assume your daughter is the same? Oh and congratulations on your second one, Andromeda was it?"  
>If he had missed the tone the first time, this time he most definitely did not.<p>

"That's none of your concern Potter! You may have your heir, but you won't be so lucky soon." With that he spun on his heel and disappeared in the crowd that surrounded them.

Cygnus was angry. Even with a political success, the birth of a second daughter was making him irritated. He wanted a boy and now Potter had to remind him of his wife's failures.

He appeared in a burst of green fire in the kitchen at Black Manor. Orion and Walburga had moved out into Grimmauld Place a few years back, leaving Cygnus and his family in the large house in the West Country.

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Bellatrix Black saw her father enter the kitchen from the fireplace and her eyes widened slightly. Her father was not a kind man, often shouting at her or slapping her if she did something to annoy him. She could not go to her mother, who mainly was out of the house or in the family library, scolding her if she disturbed her reading. This left Bellatrix to wander the house and gardens, she often watched the muggle children outside the boundary playing with each other. She would not admit to anyone, but she was jealous of them when she saw them running around happily or holding their mothers hands. It was not fair.  
>As she was thinking, the cup she was holding slipped from her hands onto the hard kitchen tiles; cracking. She gasped and looked up to see her father, angrier than she had ever seen him. He stalked towards her and seized her by the throat, making her choke slightly. Bella's deep violet eyes filled with tears and her heart pumped wildly, making her head throb madly. He pulled back a hand and hit her swiftly across the left side of her face. Her head cracked back and her knees gave way underneath her, her dark and slightly curly hair flying around her now bloody face. Her eyes closed in expectation as the next strike came down on her. She slowly succumbed to the welcoming darkness as her father took out all his frustration on her. The last thing she heard as she slipped from consciousness was the words 'useless', 'weak' and 'female'. When he was done with her, he threw her in the cupboard and went to get a drink.<p>

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Dorea Potter woke up late on Tuesday morning. She looked around in surprise, rubbing her eyes. Today was Harry's Birthday and he was four hours overdue from his annual bed bouncing. She slipped out of bed, noticing her husband was still asleep and opened their door to go and find Harry. She reached his door, opened it and gasped. Harry was still in bed, but appeared asleep, glowing with a strange gold light that seemed to be made of incorporeal grains of sand. She shouted something that she assumed reflected her panic because Charlus entered the room less than a minute later, rushing over to Harry's side. He tried to touch him, but couldn't breach the golden barrier. He turned and said something, but Dorea couldn't hear. Thousands of possibilities were rushing through her mind, making her shake with fear and shock. Charlus' hand on her arm brought her out of her stupor, and she shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind.  
>"We need to contact Dumbledore." Charlus spoke seriously and she nodded sharply before turning and running for the floo.<p>

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Albus Dumbledore was sat at his seat on the teacher's table in the Great Hall when an obviously unsettled Dorea Potter burst in to the room, pushing carelessly past some sixth years that were milling around. Dumbledore rose with a frown and ushered her to a small wooden door that appeared to the right of the table, striding up the stairs provided and into his office. She did not sit but instead grabbed his arm nervously. "It's Harry, Albus. There's something wrong with him."  
>He tried to get some more information from her but she refused and instead led him through the floo into the living room in Godric's Hollow. Already familiar with the layout due to numerous visits to the fascinating Potter boy, he rushed up the stairs and into Harry's room. Upon seeing the golden glow his bushy eyebrows rose. He drew the elder wand and began to mutter some diagnostic spells under his breath, but it revealed nothing. He pulled out the time turner from that fateful day and his eyes twinkled at the revelation. The sands that swirled within the mysterious devise were of the exact colour and visual texture as the golden light that cloaked Harry.<br>He turned to the elder Potters and said, "It looks like time travel has finally caught up with Mr Potter. You may wish to postpone his birthday, quite literally."

"What are you saying Albus?" The still blue haired Charlus asked warningly.

Albus sobered lightly and spoke quietly, "It would appear that young Harry was not as unaffected by traveling through time as we assumed, and his body is entering a sort of coma to use up the excess time energy." 'It would also account for his Hogwarts year group as well' he thought to himself.  
>He then continued, "I would not worry, but I'm afraid it could be up to a year before Harry wakes again."<p>

Dorea let out a sob but Dumbledore soon calmed her main fears. "I also believe that the time lost for us, is not so for Mr Potter, so in a years time he will still be needing six candles for that delicious looking chocolate cake I noticed on my way up."


	5. First Encounter

**Chapter 5**

****Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!****

**Godric's Hollow 1958 (7 Years Later)**

"Harry dear, Michael's at the door!" Dorea shouted up the stairs. Soon enough a black haired bullet rushed past her shouting something vaguely resembling a "Goodbye!" and the door slammed. She chuckled to herself. The year that Harry had been asleep was a stressful time for her and Charlus. Despite Dumbledore's initial words and subsequent assurances that Harry remained healthy, sleeping for twelve months is not normal. Although to be fair, ever since Harry appeared from a time vortex after defeating a future Dark Lord, they knew that raising him would have some complications. This turned out to be an understatement Charlus would live to regret telling his wife. From an early age Harry had begun to perform some impressive accidental magic, mostly antagonising his father. This included colour changes, hair growth, invisibility and even apparation! By no means was this level exceedingly prodigious, but the ways in which Harry had managed to achieve it were amusing to say the least. Charlus Potter had ended up with blue hair at the ministry more times than not, gifting him with the lovely nickname 'Charlus Blotter'. Excusing his rather problematic sense of humour, Harry, despite the sheltered upbringing was turning into a surprisingly open boy who questioned his parents to their wits end.

Another shock was his familiarity with the muggle children in the village adjoined with Godric's Hollow. Michael was Harry's best friend in the village and Harry often spent the day running around the village or small paths that ran alongside a large lake that separated the two settlements. The local paths were covered with the protective wards that Godric's Hollow offered as a wizarding family community, and some recent additions thanks to one Albus Dumbledore, and so Dorea had little to worry about when letting him play outside. The only place Harry was not allowed was the old Black manor house on the North side of the lake, but Harry knew this. Harry was a good boy, or so she believed.

Bella knew she shouldn't. It was a risk, but she was willing to take it. Ever since the night her father had beaten her she had kept clear of him whenever he was in the house. She embraced her name and became one with the shadows, but for a 7-year-old girl, dusty books and empty rooms are not enough inspiration for her whimsical fantasies, so she improvised. The window on the second floor guest's bathroom was unlocked. It was at the rear of the property and was provided with a natural ladder of vines that had crept up on the ancient house. The past year and a half had seen her up and down uncountable times, whether it be night or day, raining or sunny and had worn the pattern of her small shoes into the strong green arms. This day was no different from any other. It was a mildly warm day in the beginning of July and she was going to walk around the edge of the property to observe the lovely view of the lake nearby. She was happy being alone, but often looked on in sad resignation as the muggle children occasionally ran by the protective wards, laughing and playing.

She heard the tell tale sign of the floo flaring that marked the absence of her father before shooting up off the white silk sofa in the edge of her large and over decorated room. She quickly glanced out of the large paned windows that let in the light she loved, to see if the presence of gardeners would spoil her plans. It seemed not. She quickly stepped out of her frilly black dress, for it wouldn't do to get any obvious marks on them, and then pulled on a medium length skirt, and a blue jumper over her under-shirt. She quickly walked out of her room and found her way through the corridors to stand before the familiar carved birch door of the guest room. She gently pushed it open, slipping into the room and shutting it soundlessly behind her. She then made her way through the ensuite and slipped both legs successively over the edge of the dark wooden window frame. She carefully turned around, mindful of the height, and lowered herself down the natural aide. She felt her feet touch the firm ground and let out a small sigh of release. Despite having made the journey hundreds of times before, she was still only small and wary of the distance. She quickly gathered her thoughts and ran quickly over the small mound that faced the south of the property and set her sights on the distant trees.

She soon found herself walking along the well-defined tree line that separated the property from the edge of the wards and the lake beyond. Bella walked over to her favourite spot; a grey stone post that had evidently been part of some sort of gateway at some point in the property's long past. It had a rather comfortable shape to the top of it, allowing her decent comfort whilst sitting. She slowly let her gaze wander; casually taking in the beautiful landscape that coated the rim of the sparkling, deep green lake. There was a scattering of tall silver birch trees in the general spread of oak trees, the summer allowed no fallen leaves, and so the floor was covered with thin patches of long grass on the earth floor. The oak trees had small tendrils of their roots poking above the ground, making it look like rolling waves of a brown sea.  
>She was deep in thought, as she knew she would have to wait over three years for the chance to finally leave this hellhole. She sighed and rested her face in her palm for a brief moment, feeling herself relax in the soft, warm light despite her rather morbid musings.<br>The sound of giggling snapped her out of her self-pity and she peered through the trees to try and identify the source of the noise. The wards that surrounded the property also had a side effect of muffling noise from the inside and out, so when Bella heard faint giggling, in terms of distance it was much closer than she realised. Bella blinked and suddenly they were there. Four young children were walking down the path not four paces in front of her, only separated by a three foot deep ditch that marked the edge of the boundary. One of the boys in the group, dark haired with sparkling emerald green eyes was dancing around the front of the group, obviously doing something amusing as it yielded another round of giggles from the other brown haired boy and two more young girls. In a misplaced step, the boy hooked his foot in a gnarled brown root and tumbled into the ditch before her. The other children quickly scrambled to help him, but one by one as they set foot in the ditch, they would quickly clamber back out and head back in the direction they came from, muttering about forgotten appointments. The boy lay in the ditch and groaned. He slowly sat up, disorientated and spat a few twigs from his mouth. Bella watched amused as he got up, fully expecting him to leave just like the other muggle children. What happened next was not that. He turned and with a look of surprise on his face, looked her in the eye.

.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._

Harry ran around his friends, while they wandered by the north of the lake. His mother had told him to avoid that part, but his friend Michael had assured him that it was a nice safe walk. It wasn't as if he enjoyed defying his mother, in fact quite the opposite was true, because as his mother could often remind him, she was a Black and you did not disobey a Black. He amused his friends, imitating the crazy bird watcher that they had often seen skipping through the forest. One minute he was spinning and the next he was down as he felt his foot catch something on the floor, making him tumble sideways into a ditch that had been hidden under a small bush on the side of the path. He felt the air leave him, before he groaned in embarrassment and slight pain. He pulled himself up and spat out a few twigs, fully expecting to hear the laughs of his friends. Instead, they were gone and on the side of the path that for some reason he'd failed to notice, was a small black haired girl with deep violet eyes open in an expression of shock. He blinked once at the odd sight before curiosity gained the upper hand and he gave her a small smile. She kept looking at him without blinking and he began to shuffle uncomfortably. The girl carefully got down from her perch and approached him, he watched in confusion and a little bit of fear as she stood right in front of him and waved her hand back and forward.  
>Harry couldn't help it, the absurdity of the situation made him. He laughed. He laughed for quite a while before finally giving a good long sigh, wiping his eyes and looking up. His eyes met hers, noticing the sparkle had diminished to give way to a storm. She looked down on him, even though they were the same height, and said coldly "Stop laughing you stupid muggle!"<br>Harry was shocked. He had never encountered someone so rude in his short life! He shouted back "I'm not stupid!" and then remembered the second twist of the barb and furthered, "And don't call me a muggle! Whatever that is," he mumbled.  
>Bella observed the boy carefully. He was obviously either a very rude muggleborn or an extremely stupid wizard, as her mother had once told her that muggles could not get past the wards. She began to circle him slowly, her shoes making little sound on the hard floor. She looked down the end of her nose like she had seen her father do to the house elves and then asked "Your name?"<br>"Harry" he replied almost defiantly.  
>She sighed and said "And your family name?" She expected an answer that would confirm her suspicions, and was right.<br>"Michaels" Harry quickly replied, using his friends name for this scary girl. She sneered at him slightly and said "Are your parents magical?"  
>She watched closely, noticing the slight widening of his eyes as she mentioned 'magical'.<br>"And what is it to you?" again the suspicious tone.

"Well obviously _I_ am magical, and so I wondered if your parents were muggles." She said casually, trying to hide her curiosity.  
>Harry carefully weighed up his options before deciding on the cautious approach, as his mother had taught him. "No, but they know about my magic."<br>The girl finally stopped circling him like he was some sort of display and said, "My name is Bellatrix Black and you will be my friend."

Harry was shocked to say the least at the revelation. 'A Black!' He thought to himself in surprise, showing little to nothing on a blank expression. He then scoffed at the audacity of the demand. This girl obviously had no idea about friends.  
>"You don't have very many friends do you?" As soon as he said it he regretted the words. Her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears and she ran off, leaving a stunned and slightly embarrassed Harry behind.<p>

"Wait!" he called out weakly, but his shame got the better of him and he ran all the way back home, eventually rushing past a bewildered looking Dorea, her black hair waving slightly in his draft as he bowled past her up the stairs.  
>'I wonder what that was about.' She thought, climbing the stairs to see what the problem was.<p>

.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._.,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._ .,..,._

Bella ran all the way home, quickly climbing up the vines on the beige stone wall of her home. She then rushed to her room and shut the door tightly, falling back onto her bed feeling very exhausted. She curled up and cried for her loneliness and her pent up frustration. The boy was right; she would never have any friends.


	6. Karma

**Chapter 6**

******Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!******

Harry pulled a shirt over his head, grumbling to himself about unfair mothers and rude girls, despite knowing that she was right. The evening before his mother had coaxed the story out of him, well except for some of the 'less vital' information. She did not know that this girl was a witch, and definitely was not told that this event occurred on northern side of the lake. Once she had grasped the situation, his mother had berated him harshly on his rude and hurtful behaviour, making it crystal clear that he would not be seeing the sun for a while if he did not apologise the next day. He knew as soon as he said it that he had been mean, but his stubborn countenance demanded satisfaction, meaning that it had taken a 3 day grounding from his broom riding and the threat of no lunch to make his grudgingly promise to go. He was kind of glad to be apologising, as long as it made the image of the girl's tear brimmed violet eyes go away. He pulled on some trousers, quickly failed to flatten his hair and ran down the stairs, intent on getting it over with.

Harry quickly made his way over to the lake and chose the dreaded north path, wishing that he had refused to follow his friends there. He walked warily down the uneven path, lit only by the dark light that the viridian canopy allowed in. He eventually made it to the bush he had fallen in the previous day and rubbed his hands to warm them. He then pulled the bushes apart, ignoring the few scratches he received, eventually finding the opening in the thick oak trees that gave way to an open field of well-kept grass and scattered trees. He stepped warily over the ditch, his small legs stretching to their maximum limit. He made it over and walked further out of the forest, running his hand over the smooth stone pillar that she had sat on and marvelling at the intricate designs that ran over what was left of it's fading beauty. He turned back to the task at hand and set off at a brisk walk towards what looked like a small mound of grass near the centre. He made his way across very open land, feeling like he was being watched, with the mid-morning sun on his right, casting him a long shadow that draped itself over the rolling green expanse for another twenty foot on left, making him feel like a giant strolling through tiny hills. He eventually reached the top of the mound and quickly dropped to his belly. A giant structure of white and grey stone filled his view. It was obviously ancient, from his limited knowledge of such things, and it had about three floors and stretched for about three hundred foot from right to left. He scanned the scene for a few minutes, checking to see if there was any sign of movement, but could not find any. He clambered down the slope and quickly ran over to the wall. His back was pressed against the cold stone and he felt like one of those spies from the movies at Michael's house. He looked around for a door or a window and then spotted a possible way in. There were three large green vines that ran down the side of the building in a criss-cross pattern that provided natural steps. Harry could see steps worn into the spaces and decided to risk it, as he didn't really want to ring the door in such a big house. After all, in his experience it was better to ask forgiveness than permission. He clambered up the vines, only stepping in the holes that were already worn away with use. He finally reached the window and pushed it up, enough to let him slide onto the bathroom floor. Harry picked himself off and walked slowly over to the door, pulling on the carved wood handle. He peered into a wide, carpeted hallway and looked left and right. He was about to step out when he saw someone at the end of the corridor. He pulled his head back so that he could only just make out, in the badly lit corridor, a tall figure stagger into the wall and then walk into a room. He waited a few seconds, trying to figure out what he should do, when he heard a shout that sounded young and feminine. He quickly threw open the door and ran over to where he had seen the man enter. What he saw made him freeze for a few seconds in shock. The man he had seen enter was standing over the Bellatrix, who was curled up on the floor. He raised his hand, as if to strike again and Harry cried out, "No!" holding out his own hand.

As Harry shouted, a wave of purple fire flew from his hand and bathed the room in a violet light. The flame hit the man in the back, sending him flying almost comically into the far wall, narrowly missing the window. He hit the wall with a thud and then landed on the floor in an undignified pile. When the flames receded, Harry looked to where Bellatrix had been lying in fear, wondering if he had accidentally killed her! To his relief, she was still quite alive and looking at him with a similarly shocked expression to the one she had worn yesterday.  
>With sudden inspiration he stepped forward and said, "Hello, my name is Harry, nice to meet you again."<br>She snapped out of her shocked expression and looked at him in confusion, "What are you doing here?"  
>"Well I was here to apologise-"<p>

"You're apologising to me?"

"Well yeah."

There was a pause before she said "Why?'

He broke eye contact, opting instead to look intensely at his feet, "Well I was rude to you wasn't I? I made you cry-"

"I did _not _cry!" she said incredulously.

"Well, it looked a little bit like tears to m-"

He stopped when he met her narrow eyed glare and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

After a moment she said slowly "So…"

He looked at her questioningly.

She sighed and said as if she was talking to a toddler.

"You, came here, to apologise."

His eyes widened briefly and then he stuttered out, "Oh yeah!" He stuttered, before straightening up and reciting an obviously practiced routine.  
>"I'm sorry Bellatrix Black for my rudeness, and for making you cr-" He then stuttered some more, trying to backpedal from the slip before stopping and looking back into her eyes. He did not find anger for saying she had cried, but instead warm amusement, like his mother looked at him sometimes.<br>"That's okay Harry, I forgive you." She then gained her usual distant look and said, "So, I guess we should start this again?"

Harry looked at her and spoke in a falsely haughty voice, "I guess so Miss Black, and in accordance, I extend an invitation of friendship." He finished with a clumsy bow, making her smile slightly. When he rose and met her eyes again, she scowled at him slightly for making fun of her, but it was completely false and he knew it. He then extended his hand and she met him with hers, sealing their friendship. Bella was bursting with joy inside, having never had a friend before and being very excited about any sort of contact with someone of her own age. Looking after her little sister Andy was one thing, but having her own friend was something she had only even dreamed of!  
>As she was thinking about this new development she suddenly remembered something that made her almost shake with fear. She turned around and groaned at the sight of her father, sprawled on the floor. She turned back to him and said, "Did you kill him? What was that anyway! What are we going to do now!" each syllable her heart beat faster.<p>

Harry watched Bella hyperventilate and did not know what to do. He knew from what his mother had told him about the war that people often went into shock, and they needed to be kept warm? No, that wasn't it; it must have been something though! He stood there for a bit, eventually deciding that comforting her was the only thing he could do, so he stepped forward and embraced her, ignoring how she went stiff, instead slowly rubbing her back. He stepped back and said, "Don't worry, we'll find some way to figure it out."

She stood there in shock. This boy had just hugged her! Hugging was something that mothers did to small children and babies, wasn't it? It had been years since she had been hugged by anyone and suddenly a boy she hardly knew had hugged her! It sent an unfamiliar warm feeling trickling down her spine, that would have made her smile if not for the shock of it all. Once he released something and said something, she snapped out of her stupor and said shakily "Right, of course well we need to check if he is alive or not I guess."

They both walked over to the body, and Harry sunk to his knees, putting two fingers to the neck that was visible in the pile of limbs and fabric. He could feel a faint, but regular pulse and said so. Bella nodded and then sat down, her chin in her palm; an expression of concentration on her face. Harry though as well, slightly distracted by the smell of the man beside him. He then realised something, marvelling at the genius of it, well he thought so anyway.  
>"Hey Bellatrix."<p>

"Bella."

"Huh?"  
>"Call me Bella." She said absentmindedly.<p>

"Oh right. Hey Bella."

"Yes!" she said in an exasperated voice.

"Well, he was drunk when he came in right?"

"Yes, he was." She said with her eyes narrowed.

He put up his hand in a placating gesture and said "I mean that he probably won't remember anything when he wakes up will he? So all we need to do is place him in the hall or something and put a glass of something next to his hand." He finished less confidently than he began, seeing the incredulous look on her face.

"Wow." She said.

"What? I thought it was good!"

"No, I mean I was beginning to think you were stupid, but that is actually quite clever of you."

"Thanks, I think," He said slowly.

She waved her hand in dismissal and got up quickly, "Let's get going then!" but it had obviously been too quickly after her head injury and she collapsed back down onto the floor.

Harry looked back and forward between the two fallen people and sighed, "This is definitely Karma." He muttered to himself before grabbing the man not too gently at his collar and dragging him slowly from the room.

After a laborious ten minutes of dragging and the occasional small kick at the abusive man, Harry had managed to move him down the hall, outside a room he had identified as his room. It was large and dark, filled with old books and empty glasses. Harry had managed to find a cup that was not quite empty and had taken it to where the man lay, pouring it on the floor and placing the glass on its side. The man himself was spread-eagle on the carpet, with his head facing the side. Once Harry had done that, he rushed back to Bella's room and sat on her bed, where he had placed her after she had passed out. He called out hesitantly, "Daffy?" and after a small moment, a pop could be heard and a small house elf appeared at the foot of the bed, hands on her hips and mouth open and ready to tell Harry off for being late. She soon stopped, however at the unfamiliar surroundings. "Harry?" She asked.

"Daffy, I can explain in a minute, but we need to get this girl back to mother, I think she has hurt herself."

Daffy nodded slightly, and grabbed then both by the hand.  
>"You have a lot of explaining to do." She said seriously.<br>Harry nodded, and then they disappeared in a loud pop from the large house, leaving an unconscious Cygnus Black and a completely unaware Druella, sitting next to a sleeping child. She had heard the scream about half an hour before, but she wasn't going to get involved, she had to protect herself after all.

Bella, Harry and Daffy appeared in a pile in the middle of the entrance hall, and unfortunately for Bella, her first time out of the wards of her home since her birth was done unconsciously.


	7. Broken Facades

**Chapter 7**

********Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!********

It was with a small groan and a pout at the pulsating pressure of her headache that Bella awoke from her well-deserved slumber.

"Dumbledore's sagging beard, what did I do to deserve this?" she grumbled to herself whilst pulling the covers over her head, as if to drive off the headache.  
>She heard a small noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle from outside her sheets. She narrowed her eyes and carefully peered through a gap in the left side of the covers to find… Oh. Well, that was a surprise! Wait…why did he look like he was attending a lemon convention?<br>"You will not so profane the lord's name!" said an ominous voice from her right, and at a glance it was revealed to be her _friend _and _saviour_ with sparkling green eyes.

"Harry? What am I doing here?" She said, nervous in the presence of a celebrity like Dumbledore.

"You mean you can't remember?" came the irritatingly amused tones of a certain bearded wizard.

"Remember wh-" she cut herself off as the memories began to return. The 'punishment', the fire – oh yeah the fire, that was cool – and then the oh so dignified fainting.

"Ah yes, that." was her response. Harry giggled like a little girl.

"Well, now that you're awake, I was hoping that we could get to the bottom of this?" Dumbledore looked into her eyes and spoke with a calm voice that made her relax slightly. This caused Harry to crease his brow slightly, but otherwise remain silent. She was about to concede when a figure appeared at the doorway, causing shadows to dance across her eyes. The distraction was enough for her to break her eye contact with the headmaster, and in turn, the headache she was gritting her teeth against abated slightly. The figure took form as a lady she recognised, but could not figure out the name of.

"Aunt Cassie?" she asked tentatively, guessing from the definably Black family jawline and dark wavy hair. If so then why the heck were these assortment of oddballs here? Harry Michaels, the mysterious muggleborn with a strange scar hidden under his cute but pathetic excuse for a fringe, _Dumbledore _the dark wizard defeater extraordinaire and finally a member of the darkest family in Britain, all converged into a bedroom with violently pink flowery curtains around _her_.

"Am I missing something?" she then added.

The woman in the doorway smiled softly at her, confusing her even more, before walking over and sliding onto the stall that Harry had been occupying. Bella smirked as he let out a squeak, hitting the floor. The lady then proceeded to explain the situation, linking together the seemingly random pieces of information she had.

"So you're saying that Harry is a Potter, he isn't some kind of dragon cross breed, and this is your home, where Dumbledore happens to be hanging around in desperate need of an exciting story?" Bella asked dryly, trying to disguise her shock at the predicament she found herself in. Well, as her uncle Orion had taught her, if you're going to do it, do it properly.  
>"Alright then beardy man, fire away!" she sang lightly. In hindsight, maybe she should have waited until she wasn't still concussed when talking to important people.<br>Harry coughed in a poor attempt to hide his amusement, Dumbledore looked at her in a mixture of amusement and shock, deciding whether to be happy about being able to 'fire away' or resent the obvious disrespect. The face of her aunt however was one of stern disapproval. Bella awaited the shouting or the curt command to leave, so she was surprised to see that Dorea's considerable ire was turned upon the Headmaster of Hogwarts.  
>"Albus, the poor dear is obviously still recovering from such a traumatic experience! I hope you weren't even considering an interrogation before she is rested enough! I allowed you to make decisions I do not like, so for Merlin's sake do not push me now!"<p>

"Mrs Potter, I assure you, no interrogation-" he was cut off,

"Enough. Bella dear, please excuse these two boys for their behaviour and inexcusable disrespect, I'm sure you would like to be left alone?"

Well, Bella wasn't about to contradict her.

Harry saw her smug smile and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Ungrateful little-"

"Harry! Out, now!"

With a final scathing glare at Bella's now openly grinning face, he got up from the edge of her bed, where he had crawled to after being so rudely removed from his chair and stalked out of the room.

Dorea turned to Bella and smiled that soft smile again, making Bella feel strangely warm, and then took out a small vial of pale pink liquid.  
>"This should help with the headache, dear."<p>

Bella practically banished it down her throat before falling back heavily among the many pillows that adorned her bed, succumbing to the comforting darkness that had never been welcomed with so much excitement. Something had changed, maybe not a completely good change but now, the seemingly perpetual, lonely pattern of her life had changed, and she was glad. Even if she had to face her father again, at least she was not alone; purple fire boy would make sure of that. As her final thoughts wondered to Harry Michaels – no, Potter – she wondered at how quickly that rude, reckless boy had changed her life. For better, or for worse, only time could tell.

**A few hours earlier**

A dull thud echoed through the Potter household in Godric's Hollow. Instantly, Harry's father rushed into the hallway, finding Harry, Daffy and an unknown child on the floor. Harry quickly explained that Bella was hurt and why, so Charlus had made Daffy take her up to the spare room. Once she was gone, his father said nothing, then walked forwards to a very nervous Harry and hugged him.

"You never endanger yourself like that again, do you understand?" He had told him gently.  
>Harry nodded mutely, confused as to why his father was worrying about him when Bella was hurt.<br>His father had then called his mother in the floo, asking her to come home. They decided after a small talk that it would be best if she stayed at their house instead of St. Mungo's until she was better, in order to bypass the scandal that would surely arise if a young pureblood girl was found to be abused in her own home. Instead, once Dorea had confirmed Bella's relatively good health, Dumbledore was called. As veterans of the war against Grindelwald and due to Harry's strange appearance, the Potters could appreciate Dumbledore's levelheadedness and wisdom in strange situations. They approached him, wanting advice and confirmation on how to handle such a delicate situation. Politically, this event could be hugely advantageous, because the publicity of Bella's situation could bring down Cygnus Black; a strong opponent of the kind of legislation that the Potters and Dumbledore were trying to push through. On the other hand, treating such a situation as a tool could be very damaging to Bellatrix, causing her to be isolated from her father, and breaking apart the reputation of her family. The Potters were just not comfortable with doing that.

Once Dumbledore arrived, he went straight to Bella, performing some similar charms to Dorea, seeing if any damage had been done. Once her health was again confirmed, he disappeared into a room with Dorea and Charlus, leaving Harry alone in Bella's room. He watched her as she slept; noticing that the frosty looks on her face took away the innocence he could now see. She looked like a child, not like an arrogant pureblood heiress. He occasionally heard raised voices drift in from where the meeting was taking place, and he wondered how such an obvious situation could cause so much difficulty for the adults. Her father had hurt Bella, so obviously she couldn't go back. Either he had to go, or she did, quite simple really.

He soon heard the front door open and slam, so he rushed over to the window, peering out of the glass to see his father step out of the front garden and disappear with a muffled pop.

"Hello my boy."

Harry turned around quickly to find Dumbledore, in all his yellow robed glory, standing in the doorway. Dumbledore then took a seat in the corner of the room, with a pensive look on his face as he gazed at Bella.

"Urm, Professor?" Harry queried,

"Yes Harry?" Dumbledore said lightly.

"Will Bellatrix have to leave?"

Dumbledore had still not taken his eyes off of Bellatrix.

"No, my boy, she will be staying with her family. I see no reason why they cannot change their ways with a few…prods in the right direction." He seemed to say more to himself.

Harry had meant if she had to leave his house, but no point telling Dumbledore that now, not that he could have done if he wanted to. He was rooted in place, his jaw hanging slightly limp.

How could they expect Bella to go back home to her father? They hadn't seen what he had, the looming figure, striking with no one to help except him. He couldn't be there all the time!  
>"Sir, I don't understand." He finally whispered.<p>

Dumbledore finally turned his watch to Harry, a slight smile on his lips,

"You don't need to Harry. This doesn't concern you. It was very brave of you to save her, and it shows a lot of good Gryffindor character. Despite that, Bellatrix comes from a very dark family and you have to be careful around her. She needs to go back for her own good and the good of our society. Don't worry now Harry, you will understand when you are older." Dumbledore then turned away, confident that he had Harry suitably cowed. After all, someone like Bellatrix could seriously affect Harry's path, and placing her in an environment where she despised her own family would hopefully protect her from a future similar to theirs. He did not like making decisions like this, but he had learned his lesson. Allowing someone to make their own choices only lead to death of others. Inaction was a mistake of the past.

**Back to the present**

The headmaster of Hogwarts left the room; satisfied with the information he had retrieved. The girl was obviously being abused, not on a terrible scale, but it was still a problem. The thing that was useful was the isolation. She obviously had never had any contact with other children excluding her younger sister, leaving her very susceptible to Harry's actions. Such a situation would leave her very open to suggestions and praise that he; the headmaster, could give her when she entered the school. It would only be possible for this perfect opportunity for infiltration if Bellatrix were left where she was, despite what Charlus wanted. All he needed was for Harry to leave her alone, and he was sure that the simple telling off he had given was enough to keep him away until Hogwarts. Hogwarts would be interesting, but easy to manage in his position. The Black family had to fall, he was certain; they had caused enough damage when Belvina Black had reduced his sister, Ariana to tears. He was convinced that this had contributed to her decision to disprove her attackers and fight back against the world. It had not ended well. No, the Blacks were incapable of good, it was up to him to save others from a similar fate, and Bellatrix posed the perfect opportunity to do it.

Charlus Potter sat, slouched slightly, with a shot of fire whiskey in his hand. He sighed deeply and poured it down his throat.

"Charlus, you can't do anything if you just sit there, get up and fight like the brave man you are." Said another man who sat in a chair opposite.

Charlus had gone straight to the only person he could trust, Edward Longbottom, and had mapped out the situation before turning to alcohol in despair.

"I'm in a corner Edward, I can't do without him politically and he has information about my son that I can't let out. Bellatrix is going to have to be swept away by his manipulations."

Edward sighed, "you are such a bloody Gryffindor Charlus, maybe there is a reason why your wife was not stomping off with you?"

Charlus frowned, wondering what he could do.

Edward ran his hand over his face and sat forward in his armchair, "Charlie, maybe you can play the guy at his own game. Don't let Miss Black's situation mean she has to overly suffer."

"Maybe," Edward said, drawing it out, "You could take her back home yourself, and suggest that he wasn't as drunk as he thinks he was." he winked.

Charlus chuckled, getting up slowly "You bloody snake, my wife would be proud."

Edward laughed, "She is probably thinking the same thing as I am, go away, and get home before she poisons him."

Charlus got up feeling much better than before.

"Tea?" Dorea asked Dumbledore as he was preparing to leave.

"I think not, but thank you Dorea," he said happily.

'Darn' she though, slipping the laxatives back into her pocket,

"Of course Albus, well have a nice evening" she said in a controlled voice.

He left.

Soon later Charlus arrived back home and was ready to plot.  
>"Darling?" he called out, hoping that she wasn't too angry with him.<p>

"In here." She called from the living room.

"Sorry for leaving like that, I was quite angry-"

"And I wasn't?" she said sharply. "You need to start controlling yourself. It's a wonder you get anywhere in the Wizengamot, let alone in a conversation with Albus! He's keeping his cards to his chest, so we need to do the same. I will not allow him to interfere so much with this girl's life, especially now that we know what she is going back to. No, we can still win this little game, but we need to make sure it is not at the cost of our political strength. I should know better than anyone that the Blacks never show weakness, and now we have a jewel! Cygnus can be blackmailed with our knowledge, so we are going to use it to help this girl, not pass legislation." She panted, slightly out of breath.

"I knew there was a reason I married you." Said Charlus with a wink, sitting down next to her and pulling her into a hug. "I'm in disbelief, that's all. Albus has always seemed so gentle and caring, not someone that would place a child in an abusive home."

"I know Charlus, but Bellatrix is not alone now, we will make sure of that."

"I will too mum!" said Harry, who had entered for that last bit of the conversation. "But I don't know how I used that fire, so you might have to do that next time."

**The next day**

Bella walked behind Harry's father, careful to put him between her and the front door. Harry stood next to her and smiled brightly at her, but she couldn't return it, so she punched him lightly. She was nervous. The Potters had assured her that her father couldn't harm her anymore, but they didn't know him, how could they be so sure?

The door opened slowly, revealing a house elf that ushered them in to a entrance hall that opened upwards and outwards to reveal a heavily decorated, dark manor that sent shivers up her spine. No matter how long she lived there, there was a presence in the air that seemed to exude foulness.

She looked across the hallway and she saw him. Her father stood in the entrance to the main corridor, cloaked and upright. He walked towards them, his boots causing sharp rings to sound upon the hard, marble floor. He stopped before them, his cloak swirling about the front of his feet as he spoke coldly,

"Potter, you are in my home." The tone was threatening and questioning, complementing the sneer on his face, as he looked upon the assembled three.

"Your, daughter, Bellatrix, was staying at our home whilst she recovered. I can assure you that she is now in good condition." Charlus spoke in a deep voice, aiming to intimidate.

Cygnus narrowed his eyes, looking at Bellatrix, "I recall no injury or permission for her to leave."

"That would be because you were unconscious, Mr Black." Charlus said smiling slightly.

"How would you know that?" Cygnus snarled, making Bellatrix shiver and grasp Harry's arm.

"You have a bruise." Harry said quietly, pointing to his forehead. At the look his father gave him, he looked at his feet.

"Well, I suppose we can use that excuse." Said Charlus lightly.

Cygnus sneered, but looked less confident, glaring at Charlus through narrowed eyes.  
>"We will need assurances…" Charlus continues, "that there will be no reason for such an event to occur again."<p>

"You have no right-" he was cut off,

"You have no power." Charlus said harshly, making Cygnus flinch. He continued, "You know the consequences. We'll be seeing Bellatrix quite often I believe?" He asked in a questioning tone.

Cygnus turned on his heel and stormed out of the hall, his cloak billowing wildly behind him.

Charlus turned to Bellatrix and smiled, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a simple silver plate necklace.

"Here Bellatrix, put this on." He said softly.

She took it from his outstretched hand and slipped it over her head, noticing as it glowed softly for a second. She gave him a questioning look, so he said

"It will tell us where you are and if you become injured, so you don't have to worry about your father anymore. He won't want us to act against him."  
>"What about my other family?" she said quietly, wondering if they would be safe.<p>

"Your mother and sister will very likely remain unharmed as well. Cygnus will not want to provoke any public attention, so I wouldn't worry anymore."

She nodded, satisfied for now. She then remembered something Charlus had said and asked, "So you said that you'll be seeing me quite often?"

Harry smiled happily and Charlus nodded, "Yes, you can come over and see Harry any time you want, but I'm sure your father still wants you for some of the time. Growing older will mean more responsibilities and your lessons will probably start." Bella nodded again, remembering her mother mentioning something similar. "Okay." She said happily, and then turned to Harry, "So it looks like I'm stuck with you for now."

"You should be glad, I'm pretty awesome." He said smugly.

"Good one. Lessons begin tomorrow morning at nine, be ready." And with that she turned on her heel and skipped down the hallway, disappearing around a corner.

Charlus chuckled and led a nervous looking Harry from Black Manor, who was wondering what he had gotten himself into.


	8. Growing Up

A/N: Sorry for the very long break, but this was my GCSE year, so I found myself with very little free time and even less when I was awake enough to be creative. However, now that I'm entering my A-levels I should have a lot more free time to update, and I do intend to. I'm not actually taking english anymore, so this is a really great way for me to express that side of me. I hope that you didn't get to bored in the meantime, but here it is, the next chapter. I think it may be the final one, or at most second last before they actually head off to Hogwarts and so I didn't want to make it too long. Anyway, enough of my rambling! Enjoy!

**Chapter 8**

**********Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter!**********

"Really Charlus, I must insist-"

"Get out."

And for the fourth time in the last six months, Dumbledore strode from the property without success.

"Merlin, the nerve of that man." Dorea seethed, pacing back and forth in their living room.  
>"You'll wear a path in the carpet dear, if you keep at it." Charlus said encouragingly. She narrowed her eyes, but sat down heavily in an armchair with a sigh.<p>

"I hope he cries himself to sleep, knowing how destructively intrusive and manipulative he is." She finished.

"I've no doubt his beard is as salty as the sea my dear, but the fact remains, there is nothing we can do but weather the storm."

Another sigh, "I guess so."  
>"And besides," he continued, "I do kind of enjoy seeing him stomp out of here like that. It really makes dealing with that wretched man Cygnus worth the pain."<p>

"Don't be so dramatic dear." Dorea said lightly.

Charlus looked at her incredulously, but before he could speak there was a hiss, and he suddenly felt his chair groan beneath him, followed by it tipping back.  
>He landed with a thump on the carpeted floor, still in the chair and found himself looking at the ceiling. He looked up, which meant he saw the look of shock on the faces of Harry and Bella, who were both crouched in the hall, peaking around the door. Puzzled, Charlus looked down and almost screamed out loud. Slithering over him was a giant snake, which looked suspiciously like the armrests on his chair. It paused on his chest, its yellow eyes surveying the room as it hissed loudly. From behind him, another hiss answered, and at that point he almost passed out. He looked up, expecting to see yet another snake behind him. What he saw instead was Harry, now standing and looking cross, hissing back at the snake.<br>To his great surprise and shock the snake slithered up his chest and over his shoulder, making his way to Harry. Charlus rushed to his feet and drew his wand to destroy the beast, but instead of cowering at the attacking creature, Harry bent down to the snake, still hissing and let it slither around his outstretched arm.  
>Bella, Charlus and Dorea all stared at Harry, who after a moment looked up, and smiled nervously at them. "I can explain!"<p>

It turned out that Harry had brought a wooden carved snake to life in a bout of accidental magic, but because its shape had coiled around so much of the chair, it lost its architectural integrity and collapsed. The main surprise however, was the fact that Harry was a Parselmouth. Bella had suggested the influence of the Black family blood, which was known to have had the skill in their past, so the Potters left it at that, despite knowing how unlikely it was, considering Dorea wasn't even Harry's mother, and was in fact his grandmother. Not even to mention the fact that it had been over 200 years since the last Black Parselmouth.

"I was just thinking how realistic it was, and then suddenly, poof! It turned into a snake!"  
>"Yes, well done Harry, I was there remember?"<br>"Yeah, but it was cool right?"

Bella sighed.  
>"I spoke to it too." He said.<p>

Bella smacked him on the head.

Six months had passed quickly for them all, and in no time, the sight of Harry and Bella running around was completely normal.

"Bella honey, have you seen Harry anywhere?" called Dorea from the living room.

Bella called back from somewhere in the house, "No Mrs Potter, I think he's hiding from me again."

"Okay, well if you find him then tell him I'm making treacle tart." She said especially loudly.

Suddenly, a head poked up into the window with a smile on its face.

"Ahah!" Bella shouted, rushing through the corridor and out the door.  
>Harry's smile turned into a look of fear as he scrambled away from the house, running up the road.<p>

A few minutes later, the door opened and closed with a loud bang, and Bella dragged Harry by the arm up the stairs and into his room.  
>"Now Harry," she started. "You know how important these lessons are, yet I constantly have to force you into attending."<br>"But why do you have to teach me when I have my own _actual _teacher starting next year."

"There are some things you don't get taught by teachers Harry. Like how to be subtle." She gave him a pointed look.  
>"You know I'm sorry for how we first met Bella, but I'm much better now aren't I?" he said, giving his best puppy dog look.<p>

Rolling her eyes Bella replied, "Yes, but that's like calling a troll socially adept compared to a dementor."

And so their lessons continued, where Bella would teach Harry how he should react to certain social situations, the same way her mother had drilled pureblood etiquette into her.  
>The everyday meetings, both serious and fun (mainly fun) continued for the rest of the year until Bella's Birthday on July 12th, when her own lessons began.<p>

"Now Bellatrix, at the age of eight you are beginning your preliminary education, so that you do not embarrass yourself or your family at Hogwarts. I expect you to take it seriously, or I will have no choice but to ban you from seeing those - people."

Bella continued to stand still, watching her father impassively over his desk where he sat.  
>"Your teacher is a hired specialist and old friend of the family, so I hope it is clear that you must behave like the pureblood heiress you are, not like an uncultured mudblood."<br>She ignored the obvious dig at the Potters and asked, "Can I leave now?"

Her father watched her with slightly narrowed eyes for a moment, and then waved her away.  
>As she was leaving, he called out "I've taken the liberty to give you a day off today girl, but you are starting tomorrow, no arguments. Do you hear me?"<br>She turned around and nodded, "Yes father."  
>She then continued to walk down the corridor, before she was sure he couldn't hear her where she broke into a run, taking off down the stairs and out the front door. She took the familiar route over the property until she reached the familiar stone pillar where she had first met Harry.<br>"There you are!" Harry called out, straightening from his leaning position against a tree. "What took you so long?"

"I'll tell you later." She said sharply, still out of breath as she walked slowly down the path towards the wizard village, her polished leather shoes reflecting the bright summer light above. He noticed, and ran to catch up with her, certain that something her father had done had caused this attitude.  
>"What did he do this time?" he asked carefully, looking at her face for any reaction.<br>She scowled, still facing away from him and said, "How do you know it wasn't something you did?"  
>He frowned at her and whispered loudly, "You're wearing your inside shoes."<br>She looked down in shock, and then back at him, before stopping and saying, "So?"

"So," he continued, "You were too concerned with getting out of your house to bother changing shoes, and you only wear those shoes when you know your dad is going to see you."

"I see my lessons aren't a complete waste of my time after all." She said happily, "But there is still one thing your missing."  
>"There is?" he asked, wary.<br>"I will give you ten seconds to think, or there will be consequences." She said, tapping her foot impatiently and counting with her fingers silently.

"Er." He said eloquently, quickly trying to think what the problem was.  
>She was just reaching a generous 9 seconds before Harry's eyes widened, and he exclaimed "Oh! It's your birthday!"<p>

Bella smiled weakly, "Took you long enough."  
>They then continued to walk, Harry asking her what she wanted to do.<p>

Bella remained silent for the trip, confusing Harry. Before they reached the House, half way up the road he stopped her, putting a hand on her arm and asking, "Why aren't you happy Bella? Birthdays are great fun!"

She sighed, looking him in the eye properly for the first time that day, "Because Harry, I'm turning 8, and so my father is organising lessons for me, beginning tomorrow."

"So?" Harry asked, confused.  
>"That means I'll have hardly any free time, and it's likely that my father will use it to keep me away from you and your family."<p>

"Oh." Harry said quietly, frowning.  
>They continued the rest of the way, Bella kicking at the ground a bit to release some pent up frustration.<p>

Soon they arrived at the front door and Harry considerably brightened, pushing open the door and waving an arm for her to go in.  
>She stepped through, looking at him suspiciously. The house was quiet, neither Charlus nor Dorea anywhere to be seen. As she entered the living room, four voices, including Daffy the house elf shouted out "Happy Birthday Bella!" and at the same time, a banner unfurled from the ceiling with the exclamation upon it, and piles of food appeared on the table to her right. Harry's parents also appeared from her left, seemingly out of thin air and she suddenly found herself being hugged.<br>"Happy Birthday dear, I hope you're hungry!" said Dorea as she stepped back from the hug, a smile on her face.  
>"Not before presents though!" shouted Charlus and Harry, both grinning and looking very similar in their excitement.<br>"Thank you." Bella said simply, a bit overwhelmed having never experienced such attention before.  
>Harry grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the corner of the room, where a small pile of presents lay neatly stacked on each other.<br>"Are these for me?" she asked, shocked. All she had received from her family was a cloak from her mother and a pat on the shoulder from her father.  
>"Of course they are." Harry said, grinning at her.<br>She smiled back, his excitement contagious. Picking up the biggest present, which was leant up against the wall, she shook it slightly, but heard nothing that gave it away.  
>Harry was basically bouncing in excitement, and blurted out "That one is from me!"<br>Dorea gave him a look, telling him to shut up, but Bella smiled at him and began ripping at the packaging. After a few moments, she had uncovered a tall rectangular box, which still didn't give away its contents.  
>She looked for a way to open it and found a string handle, pulling at it.<br>More cardboard slid from within, revealing a glossy expanse of wood and finely placed bristled that made up the brand new broomstick in front of her.  
>"Awesome!" she exclaimed. "Thanks Harry."<br>He smiled, "Now we can both fly in the garden."

The smile on her face was now more of a grin, but she didn't care, and she continued to open her presents, thanking Harry, Dorea and Charlus for being so thoughtful.  
>She made her way through her presents, which included a dark green jumper that she immediately put on, and an assortment of sweets.<br>Eventually she got to the final package, which was a small, thin rectangular box. She didn't notice, but Charlus and Dorea both exchanged a look, mischief obvious in their eyes.  
>As she opened it, Harry was peering over her shoulder in curiosity, not remembering this present.<br>The box opened to show a wand, about 7 inches long, and looking at the box label was made from mahogany.  
>Harry looked at his parents in confusion, "I thought you couldn't get a wand until Hogwarts!"<br>Bellatrix, however had continued to read the description, and a grin most definitely evil in nature had slowly made its way onto her face. Twirling her new wand in what Harry decided was definitely an intimidating manner, Bella made her way over towards Harry, who was slowly backing away with a very wary expression.  
>"Mother, father, don't you love me?" He cried, looking at them with a tearful expression.<br>"Remember whose birthday it is Harry." Charlus said.  
>Harry ran, Bellatrix cackling as she chased after him, firing off the low power stinging jinxes that the beginner wand was made for.<p>

Later that evening, the four of them comfortably sat at the table, well three of them sat and Harry just looked sore. Bella took a deep breath, steadying herself to broach the topic of her father's wishes.

"I-" She started,

"We know, Bella." Cut in Dorea, obviously expecting the conversation. "Your father already sent us an owl."

"Oh." She replied, unsure how to proceed. "Well I guess this is the last time I'm going to see you for a while then."  
>"Don't be so sure about that."<p>

"Why?" she questioned

"Even home-schooled children get holidays Bella." Continued Dorea.

"I guess." She said, still unsure.

"And weekends." Harry said happily.

"Okay, maybe not the last time." She giggled.

Bella found once again that she couldn't keep the smile off her face, so she gave up and embraced it. "Thank you." She said simply, unable or unwilling to express it further.

The Potters smiled, and the family of four continued to celebrate, unknowingly defiant in the face of the oncoming battle between good and evil, that would try its utmost to break them apart.


End file.
